PROJECT

PROFILE
CAVTUBE™ SPARGING
DeGrussa Copper Mine improves its performance
with the Eriez CavTube Column

The results being achieved by the full-scale column at

DeGrussa are very encouraging. Early results suggest that the
recovery improvement target has been exceeded.

“Because of our worldwide experience in copper

cleaning and our in-house scale-up rules, we are
comfortable in predicting full-scale performance,
based on our lab and pilot-scale test work.”
– Homie Thanesekaran
Eriez Flotation Division

Sandfire Resources’ DeGrussa copper-gold operation in Western

Australia is a new high-grade copper sulfide mine which was completed
in 2013 and now firmly established as one of the Asia-Pacific region’s
premier, high-grade copper mines. DeGrussa commenced as an
open-pit operation but now treats solely underground ore through its
1.5Mtpa concentrator. The mine produces up to 300,000 tonnes-a-year
of high grade copper concentrate.

After 18 months of operations, Sandfire’s Principal Metallurgist,

John Knoblauch, contacted Homie Thanesekaran at the Eriez® Flotation
Division (EFD) to ask about ways to improve the cleaning circuit, which
uses conventional mechanical cells. Sandfire contacted Eriez because of
their special expertise in floating extremely fine particles using their
CavTube’” sparging technology, having sold more than 160 copper
cleaning columns world-wide.
EFD arrived on-site and conducted test-work on various streams to

investigate the suitability and conditions for installing a column.
EFD worked with the experts at Sandfire for more than four
months to identify the best location for a column in the
existing flow-sheet to produce optimal results for
Bubble
DeGrussa. Based on this extensive test work,
EFD recommended that a column cell
should be installed at the head of
existing cleaner circuit, Bubble
as a cleaner scalper.
Particle Picobubbles
MORE >
Because of EFD’s knowledge and confidence in the ability to scale-up the Cavitation Tubes:
technology, the team was able to show Sandfire the expected industrial • Ensure a higher attachment probability...
performance of a full-scale column based on results from a 150 mm diameter higher recovery of hydrophobic particles
lab unit. These results were subsequently validated on a 500 mm pilot plant
• Produce higher recoveries for ultra-fine
unit which reduced the amount of risk for Sandfire to proceed with a full-scale
material... greater concentrate production
industrial unit.
• Improve bubble/particle collision rates...
In 2014, Sandfire allocated approximately $14 million towards processing
lower reagent costs
plant enhancements at DeGrussa and EFD’s copper cleaner column was part
of that package. The column was subsequently installed in December 2014 • Have no direct impediments to flow...
and commissioned in February 2015. longer wear life with better materials
of construction
The 4270 mm x10000 mm column was designed with a CavTube sparging
circulation system. This technology uses the principle of cavitation to nucleate
120
very fine air bubbles directly onto ore particles in a slurry that is re-circulated
from the column through the sparging system. This enhances the frequency 100

SURFACE AREA (M2/M3) X 103

of bubble-particle contacting and improves the attachment of fine particles,
especially compared with conventional mechanical technology. In addition 80
Cavitation Jetting Porous
to being ideally suited to floating fine particles, the CavTube does not have
internal parts that would be subject to premature wear by the flow of the 60

slurry. It should be noted that the addition of wash water provides great
40
flexibility to operators to fine tune the cell’s product grade.

Eriez Flotation Division has sold more than 1,000 flotation columns world- 20

wide. Their expertise is sizing and selling equipment for flotation applications
that involve fine or coarse particles. These applications are typically not 0
1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0
optimally served with conventional flotation technology. The Eriez Flotation BUBBLE DIAMETER (MM)
Division can undertake test work or flow-sheet development at their corporate
This chart shows the relationship between bubble
lab - locally with approved test lab service providers or on-site with trained
diameter and the generation of surface area indicating
EFD staff. that superficial surface area (i.e., capacity) is maximized
when using hydrodynamic cavitation.

An acrylic model of an Eriez Improved

60 Recoveries
Cavitation Tube showing the 55
generation of picobubbles.
50

45
GRADE (%)

40

35

30
Traditional Air Lance
25
Eriez Flotation Division | Canada Eriez Flotation Division | USA Eriez - Cavitation
7168 Venture St 2200 Asbury Road
Erie, PA 16506 20
Delta, BC, V4G 1H6 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100
Canada USA
Office: +1 604-952-2300 Office: (814) 835-6000 SULFIDE RECOVERY (%)
efdca@eriez.com efdusa@eriez.com
Improvement in sulfide recovery using the Cavitation-Tube
Eriez Flotation Division | Brazil Eriez Flotation Division | Australia
21 Shirley Way,
sparging system when treating -50 micron fines.
Av. Getúlio Vargas,
Epping, Victoria 3076
n0 456 - 120 andar
Australia
Funcionários – Belo Horizonte - MG
Office: +61 3 9305 1763
Brazil
efdau@eriez.com
Office: +55 31 3281 9108
efdbr@eriez.com Eriez Flotation Division | Perú

Eriez Flotation Division | Chile

Av. Manuel Olguin 335, oficina 1008 Download the
Surco, Lima
Badajoz, 130 Of. 1306 Perú Brochure @
Las Condes, Santiago
Chile
Office: +51 1 719 4150
efdpe@eriez.com
EriezFlotation.com
Office: +56 2 9523400
efdcl@eriez.com

Website: flotation.eriez.com